Mon., Mar. 12, 2018
12:00 AM MDTClubs may negotiate with unrestricted free agentsMarch 12-14: Clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2017 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 14. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 14.

Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must exercise options for 2018 on all players who have option clauses in their 2017 contracts.

Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.

Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit a minimum salary tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2017 contracts who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit.

Top 51 begins. All clubs must be under the 2018 salary cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time.

All 2017 player contracts will expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time.

The 2018 league year and free agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time.

The first day of the 2018 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 14. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 14.

The first day of the 2018 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 14. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 14.

Trading period for 2018 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2017 contracts.

"He has already made our team better and they haven’t all met him yet," Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway said Tuesday. "Just the kind of person he is, his reputation, and what he’s done in this league, he will have a tremendous effect on the Denver Broncos. I couldn’t be happier that he’s chosen to play for us."

During the offseason, that effect comes in the form of the excitement he brings to the fanbase, his teammates and any potential teammates that are currently free agents.

“It always helps because when you have a guy on your team like Peyton Manning, you have a chance to win -- and players in the NFL know that," Elway said. "There are a lot of guys out there that are free that want to go somewhere where they can win championships. It is a huge benefit and it already has (helped). We have seen that as we have seen the reaction of guys on our football team that we have been dealing with, even within the league. It is a huge plus to have a Peyton Manning on your roster.”

But the most important place Manning improves the team is on the field.

For his career, Manning has accumulated 141 wins -- fourth-most all time by a starting quarterback -- while leading his team to 11 seasons with double-digit victories. The four-time NFL MVP ranks third in league history in passing yards, completions and touchdowns, and has a Super Bowl title and Super Bowl MVP under his belt.

The 11-time Pro Bowler's knowledge of the game is renowned -- Head Coach John Fox called him "a coach on the field" -- as is his tendency to utilize a hurry-up offense, all the while barking out calls at the line occasionally until the very last tick of the play clock.

"One of the things that you get with Peyton Manning is not only great physical attributes, but the mind that he can bring to the game is really what separates him from everybody," Elway said. "For us to not take advantage of what he has in his mind would be foolish for us. We are going to try and take advantage of all that."

How they do that, Elway said, is listen to Manning when it comes to designing the offense.

Fox said that he is "flexible" on the offensive side of the ball, which he and Offensive Coordinator Mike McCoy demonstrated as last season progressed. If they put their heads together with the team's new signal caller, Elway said the Broncos could create "something special."

"I think at the end of the day, we want Peyton to play fast and operate fast, and he’s been successful in that type of situation," Fox said. "It’ll be kind of a melding together like John (Elway) talked about. We don’t have a lot of egos as far as our coaching staff. We have a good building, so I think at the end of the day, it will be a melding and a joint effort. Peyton will have input; the coaches will have input. It’s a team effort.”

The Broncos hope that team effort can help the club improve on its overall 9-9 record from last season, and in the process enhance Manning's resume even further.

"What I told him in the process was my goal is to make Peyton Manning the best quarterback that has ever played the game, and he’s got that ability with the football he has left," Elway said. "I believe that he has a lot of great football left in him."

"Our goal has always been to win Super Bowls," Owner/CEO Pat Bowlen said. "Peyton gives us a chance to win another world championship."